Starry Night
by Vanilla Blue Sky
Summary: Both Shikamaru and Ino learn something new. Sorry if the characters are ooc. please r&r i love constructive criticism. reposted-had to redo the format of the story, but is still the same story


Starry Night

Disclaimer: Although I wish I could, I do not own any of the characters in this story (only the

story it's self)

Chapter 1: Angry?

He could hear soft footsteps coming closer toward him. The foot falls were even but they were dragging slightly. The owner of the feet was breathing evenly enough, but it seemed a little forced. He opened his eyes to look at the clouds again, thinking. This person who was coming was in all likelihood, a ninja (although, if this person walked like that on a mission they would alert a vigilant sentry from a mile away). So he probably knew this person. It also stood to reason that this person was somewhat angry because of the forced breathing (or they were tired). But this person, whom ever they were, was most definitely female, and she knew where she was headed. This information should have been more than enough to get him on his legs and running, but he was just too lazy.

Well, it was only partly because he was lazy, it was also because he just didn't want to move. It had taken him months to find the perfect location for cloud-watching. Then it took weeks to find the best spot to lay down on (he had tried every spot) . He was not about to leave this perfectly goo spot for no good reason . . . Okay, so it was a parshly good reason (an angry, female ninja, you can guess what could happen next), but this was the best place in all of Konoha. The grass was perfect and soft, the groung was smooth and comfortable, and as an added bonus, the earth had formed a comfy pillow for his head. This was not a spot to be taken lightly.

But then again, neither was the situation that he was likely to get into if he didn't get his ass in gear. He had two options, leave his spot and come back later or stay in his well earned patch of earth but potentially never be able to return again. . why you may ask. Well, the likelihood of him coming out of this situation alive would be very slim, and if he did come out alive he would most likely be in a substantial amount of pain.

It took him a second longer than it should have for him to make his final decision. But that second was what cost him everything. Just as he was about to get up (he already had his arms behind him, lifting his upper body off the ground) he heard a shrill shriek that came form a few yards away. "Don't you dare get up and walk away from me Nara Shikamaru!"

He winced Yamanaka Ino's sharp voice pierced his eardrums leaving them rattling. He cringed at the though of what he had done to deserve the 'Full Name' treatment. He was in trouble when she used just 'Shikamaru' (never mind 'Nara Shikamaru' which usually meant that he was dead meat) instead of the usual 'Shika-kun' that she had taken to saying a few years back. Shikamaru paled under his light tan at the thought of what the strong-willed blond (albite not as strong as he) could do to him.

Taking a deep breath he lay back down putting on his 'aloof' face. Ino walked over and gave him a pat on the head. "Now there's a good Shikamaru." she said with a wicked smirk. She then proceeded to lay down beside him.

"You do realize that I'm not a dog. You can't order me to do what you want than give me

a pat on the head when I do it." The brown haired young man explained.

"Really! Wow, I never noticed!" the blond exclaimed, thoughtfully sarcastic, than giggled.

"Well Ino," he spoke scornfully, "if all you're here for is to have fun at my expense, then I think I'll leave." he raised up his body so he could lean on his hands.

Ino giggled again and put a hand on Shikamaru's shoulder. "Don't be foolish, we both know you won't leave. No, don't give me that look (he had been giving he a 'look')! You scarcely decided to leave before, and even than you went slower than a snail in molasses. That was also when you thought that I was pissed at you!" Ino exclaimed.

Shikamaru chose to ignore the fact that she was right about him not leaving and decided to concentrate on her last statement. "I 'thought' that you were pissed at me? Should there have been any doubt?" he questioned. "But wait, is that why you haven't of course up at me yet?"

"I do not 'blow up' at you: she cried indignantly."

"You mean unlike whet you did just now, two months ago when I asked about the blond

hair dye that was 'supposedly' your 'father's', and when I messed up a flower arraignment I tryed to help you with. The very first flower arraignment I have ever made, might I add. Just to name a few." Shikamaru listed casually.

"Okay, so I 'blow up' from time to time."

"Over the smallest things." Shikamaru cut in.

"Yes," Ino replied tartly, "over the smallest things. But . . ." Ino trailed off.

Shikamaru saw where this line of conversation was going (into dangerous territory) and decided that he needed to steer the conversation away from this topic or stop it completely. "You know what, it doesn't matter . You can 'blow up' whenever you want to. You look cute when you do it anyway, if not a little scary."

Shikamaru went bake to cloud watching as did Ino. After a few minutes of comfortable silence Ino asked a question that Shikamaru hoped she would never ask. "You called me cute. Didn't you?"

Shikamaru visibly paled again. He had noticed his own mistake seconds after he said it, but he had been praying that Ino had not. Obviously his prayers had not been heard (or they had been ignored).

Ino took his silence as confirmation to her question. She smiled sweetly. "You know it's okay If you think I'm cute."

"Oh, it is now is it?" Shikamaru disdainfully retorted.

"Of coarse it is, I mean I think your cute, so I'm perfectly fine if you think I'm cute." Ino replied casually.

Shikamaru raised his eyebrows at that but kept silent. After another comfortable silence, Ino spoke up. "You know, I keep a list."

"A list of what? All the boys who think you cute?" he asked.

"No. Everyone who thinks your hot, especially since you took you hair out." she replied teasingly and pulled a lock of his hair. "They all wonder what you can do with those lips of your's too." she added.

Shikamaru touched his hair and his mouth uncomfortably. "And how would you know

this, pray tell?" he asked.

"They talk about it behind your back of coarse! I think they have a club now, mabey

about twenty or so members. Some of your old students are in there, by-the-way.' Ino replied,

then laughed at his reaction. Shikamaru's eyes were bulging and his jaw was handing open.

"You've got to be kidding me! Tell me this is just some twisted joke that you enjoying too damn much." Shikamaru demanded, sounding almost afraid.

It was Ino's turn to rase her eyebrows at Shikamaru's reaction. "Fraid' not. I wish it was a

joke, than I could have you all to myself. But it is one hundred percent true." was Ino's response.

'Well can you at least tell me who they are?" he asked.

"Of coarse not!" Ino exclaimed, shocked. If I tell you, you would be scared. Then you

wouldn't talk to them when you see them and that would break their fragile little hearts." Ino explained.

"Fine, can you instead tell me how many of the girls I taught are in this club?" Shikamaru tried again.

"There's probably about nine or ten of them. But I didn't say they were all girls." was Ino's cheeky reply.

Shikamaru sat bolt upright, covering his ears with his hands and frantically shaking his

head as if to knock the information out of his brain. "No, no, no, no, no, no!" Shikamaru almost

yelled. but then the information struck home to him. "Oh my God! This is not happening! This is

not good. **Really. Not. Good.**" he muttered under his breath.

"Why, what's wrong? "

"I have a fan club! With boys in it! And kids that I used to teach are in it too, and I used

to teach some of those boys! And your asking me what's wrong?"

"It's really not a bad think if you think about it, but I guess it depends on the way you

look at it." Ino replied.

"Which way are you looking at it!" Shikamaru cried indignantly.

"The sensible was I suppose." was Ino's reply.

"Oh, ha ha very funny," Shikamaru remarked tartly.

Shikamaru fell into silence. Folding his hands into his thinking position. Ino loved this

position, it always gave her time to admire Shikamaru's great physic (which had changed quite a bit since they were twelve). Strong, toned muscles ran along all his body especially his chest, abs,

and arms. Also he had grown to a little short of six feet, which also meant that he was almost a

full head taller than Ino was. Moreover, Shikamaru had let he hair out of that strange pony-tail

that he used to wear and let it grow out so that it covered his eyes.

After a few long moments Shikamaru began to speak startling Ino out of het almost trance-like state. "You do realize that you said that you wanted me all to your self. You know

that right?"

"I know." Ino replied.

"You know? Then why did you say it?" Shikamaru asked.

"Because it's true."

After a minute Shikamaru asked. "Why would you want me all to your self?"

"Because."

"Because wh . . ."

"You ask too many questions! Now, I said because so just drop it!"

"Okay, wow, don't bite my head off!" Shikamaru turned away, his back now facing Ino.

Shikamaru was twiddling his thumbs for a minute before he realized that he was bored. Now this surprised Shikamaru because he rarely got bored. Most of the time he could find

something small and insignificant that would entertain him until something more interesting

came along. But he could not for the life of him, find something entertaining to do. It was also

then that he realized that Ino was being quite quiet ever since she had basically told him to shut-up. Shikamaru was about to ask Ino if something was wrong when he heard the young blond

beside him clear her throat as if she wanted to say something. "Shikamaru?" Ino began.

"Yes." Shikamaru answered, a little concerned.

"Are you going to go watch the fireworks tonight?" Ino asked.

"Umm, yeah, about that . . ."

"Because . . ." Ino trailed off a bit at this point. She seemed to decide that is was best to go on with what she began. "Well, I was wondering if you wanted to go with me."

"Actually I was kinda planning to skip the whole thing." Shikamaru replied, but then he saw the disappointment on Ino's face and he reconsidered. "But since you asked me I guess I could go."

Ino's face lit up at his last statement. "Okay then, it's settled. Could you pick me up

around seven o'clock? That should give me enough time to get ready."

"Sure that should be fine. But I actually have to go now." Again Ino looked a little disappointed. "I's just that I promised Choji that I would meet him at his house!"

And almost as if he could not control himself, Shikamaru leaned in and gave Ino a small, sweet kiss on the cheek. Then as quick as he could Shikamaru ran of in the direction of Choji's house, not wanting to see Ino's reaction.


End file.
